Blackcurrant Jam Cake

Last summer I made so many jars of preserves I now am looking at a full fridge of blackcurrant and other currant jam and syrup.

Blackcurrant jam is delicious but who can eat it every morning? It’s just too sweet. So I decided I would use it for cakes. This is one of those glorious recipes where you get to use the whole jar of jam. I imagine other jams would do well here too, consider cherry or something else that has a bit of sourness to it. I haven’t tried it but I imagine strawberry or blueberry would just be too sweet in this recipe.

This is also a recipe where I use applesauce instead of part of the fat. You can just use oil instead but I love being able to reduce fat in this cake and bring some vitamins and apple goodness instead.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup oil

1/3 cup applesauce (you can use oil instead but it’s healthier with applesauce)

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 1/4 cup plain flour

1 3/4 cup oats

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup jam

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.

In a kitchen robot, start beating oil and sugar until it becomes slightly fluffy and lighter in texture. Add applesauce, egg, vanilla extract and beat until well combined. Switch off the whisk and add flour, baking powder, salt and mix with a spatula until uniform. Add most of the oats and mix again.

Line a baking tin with baking paper, I use a 21cm/8inch square tin. Press the mixture into the bottom.

Cover the mixture with blackcurrant jam.

Sprinkle the remaining oats on top. Another version I sometimes make is to sprinkle a little leftover dough on top also.